


letters to titan and tethys

by johnjaemark



Series: a solar system on fire [2]
Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Letters, Love Letters, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/johnjaemark/pseuds/johnjaemark
Summary: Letters between Princess Irene and her consorts through the years on the battlefield.
Relationships: Bae Joohyun | Irene/Kang Seulgi/Son Seungwan | Wendy
Series: a solar system on fire [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712734
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	letters to titan and tethys

**Author's Note:**

> this is apart of a series but it can be read as a stand alone, however it does contain minor spoilers for the fic it is accompanied to. 
> 
> titan - seulgi  
> tethys - wendy  
> saturn - irene

Dear Titan and Tethys,

With every day that passes, I miss you more than I did the day before, but I know our places. I must be here on the front lines, providing hope to these warriors and survivors, and you must remain at Starfire. I hope the twins aren’t being too terrible to you… it really means a lot to me and Xinyue that you’ve offered to help with them. I wish that I could be there myself, training them and watching them grow, but after seeing the state of the frontlines I know that it’s not possible.

I have fought battles before but none such as this. The witches slaughtered an entire of innocents before word had even reached us that they were on our land. I sat in the ashes for many hours, crying into my hands and the charred cloth of a child’s teddy bear. Sooyoung and Yongqin held me, and they were both so strong, but I know that they were also thinking about Mother.

Our enemies are taught that we don’t have room for empathy or grief in our hearts, but in that moment, I was overwhelmed with both.

All I could think about was how I had to do better. I won’t stand to see another village in such ruin. As long as I’m standing, I will continue to protect my people,  _ our  _ people. 

Please write back soon. Your words, your kindness, are the brightest parts of my day. 

Yours Truly,

Saturn

*

Dear Saturn,

The twins have proven to be a handful. They’re only still children, and yet, they’re talent with weapons is undeniable. Your father is proud, but Xinyue seems anxious, as if she might have made a mistake by allowing them to train so early on in war. We often try to console her by explaining that in a warzone, it is never too young to teach a child how to defend themselves. She doesn’t seem so convinced. 

As winter draws upon us, she spends more time in her quarters, only allowing Renjun and Hendery in her chambers with her. She won’t deny the twins if they come looking for her, but sometimes she hesitates, and gets a far off look in her eyes. It’s hard not to wonder if she’s missing Qing, as we often find Ellia staring at her portrait these days as well.

Has she been haunting you and the others as well? Her birthday is coming upon us. Being surrounded by the witches, it must be hard to forget what happened. We only wish that we could be there to hold you, but we know that you prefer us here with your family. 

Since we cannot be with you, we’ve made a care package for you. There are cookies and blankets, even drawings from the kids. They talk of you often and they ask so many questions. They most often ask when you will return home. It pains us each time we must admit that we have no clue when you will return.

We know that you feel this is your responsibility, to save your people from the fate that your mother could not escape, but we also know that your sacrifices will mean not a damn thing if you die before you can take the throne. There’s a long while still until your father abdicates, but you are who they look to in the loss of your mother.

Xinyue is strong, stronger than any of us, but she didn’t learn directly from Qing, such as you did.

Come home soon, love.

Rest your weary head and heart.

Love,

Titan and Tethys

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

I write to you with a heavy heart. I had hoped to report that my return would be sooner rather than later, but my stay on the front lines has been extended once more. Another legion has fallen and Sooyoung has been injured. We cannot return home until she’s healed adequately enough. Yongqin is behind himself, he refuses to leave her bedside. I think that he worries he will lose her if he looks away for even a moment; he looks even more ill than she does.

There is also this girl who won’t leave the medical tent. Her name is Yerim and she looks at Sooyoung in the way that I do at you two. It’s something magical to watch, love blossoming in a field of death. I wonder if my dear little sister has noticed, she’s always been a bit single minded, especially when it comes to matters of war. 

As much as I wish I had any good news to report, I do not. In fact, I have more bad news to deliver.

Yongqin and I have spoken, we think that it may be best if Titan comes to join me on the front lines. I have no doubt that Tethys will manage to handle the children and courtiers herself. If she has any issues, however, I have already asked Xinyue and some of my most trusted courtiers to come to her aide. 

There has also been sightings of witches close to Eplyae, please take care. I’m not sure what I would do if I lost one of you. I think that I would simply have to cross the Iamouth river and slaughter the entirety of the country in retribution. There would be no stopping my wrath. 

Soon, my stars, we will be together again.

Love, 

Saturn

*

Dear Saturn,

I’ve just received word that you have been wounded, nearly fatally. When Ellia delivered the news to me, she hadn’t even gotten the words out before I collapsed, before I knew that something terrible had happened to either you or Titan. She held me tightly as she explained that you nearly died, but you had managed to survive, that they were forcing you to make your return home.

I was so relieved, and then I was so angry. I had been asking you for months to just come home to us, to prevent this from happening. Xinyue cloistered herself in the temple for nearly the entire day, praying that the gods would not decide to take you just for your incompetence. And is she wrong? To ask the gods to spare her best friend’s daughter; the princess who defies death, who curses the gods and Fate because she has not felt calm since her mother’s heart stopped beating.

If you do not rest, if you don’t take a moment and consider what you have left, what you have to  _ lose _ then you will lose yourself. I am only saying this because I love you, but you’re a foolish girl. To run at the witch lieutenant, to be so blind with rage that you allowed yourself to be run through by the witch’s sword? 

I can only imagine the hell Titan has given you… 

I’m so upset with you and yet… I look forward to your return. As do the kids. Perhaps next we can convince Yongqin and Sooyoung to return as well. 

One day, this family will have to become one again or it will simply shatter.

Sincerely,

Tethys

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

I feel as if it has been an eternity since I have been writing to you from a battlefield. And this time, it is not as lovers or caretakers of my kid-siblings, but my wives. My consorts in the eye of the law and land. There is no feeling such as this one. The joy in my chest can almost make me forget about the losses we suffered today, but now that we are bound irrevocably, it makes it harder.

I’m not the angry young girl I was once, that much is true, but sometimes it’s so hard to be level-headed and command my legion when I’m aware of what I’ve left behind. Knowing that all of my siblings have also been dispatched, to lead their own legions and fell enemies, there’s a hole in my chest. Each week I paw through the casualty lists, as if I wouldn’t feel the tremor through the land if I lost one of them.

Is it odd? How strongly I feel for my little siblings? There was a time after my mother died that I looked at the youngest and my heart tremored, wondering if they would ever have to watch as they lost me. Clearly, I’m not their mother and I would never wish to take that role from Xinyue, but they look at me with such hope and adoration… I never want to break their hearts.

Or yours.

Sometimes, in battle, as ruthless as I’ve been raised, I consider surrendering.

If I surrender, will it save your lives? Will it end this endless war? 

Not once have I surrendered in my time of living, but for you?

I would surrender my life.

Love,

Saturn

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

I was sent to the edge of the Seelie lands. There was a disruption there. I was met by the Terrors, and they seemed more than displeased. They had been doing a fair amount of blood letting at the mouth of the Iamouth and they’re to return to the palace soon. They said something about Xinyue fussing. I suppose that I should ask if she’s alright, but knowing her, it’s merely that she misses her children.

It’s a good thing that Hendery is good enough to stay with his mother. He’s always been such a good boy. I remember the drawings and notes you would send me from him during the beginning of the Witching Wars. He has always been different for the others, and I can only hope that will stay the same even during this bloody era.

Is he still quite taken with that castle guard? 

I will have to ask him about it myself when I return home.

I only wish that Xinyue would have called me home as well. I know that they think I need experience, but if only they knew what I had experienced to last me several lifetimes. What I need now is to be in the arms of my wives, resting peacefully through the night, the only sounds to permeate my dreams being that of your snores. Before you argue, you  _ both  _ snore and I won’t hear anything else about it.

Oh, dear.

I can hear children outside of my tent. It’s been a very long time since I’ve heard that. I will have to write more to you later. For now, I wish to make a child smile.

Love, 

Saturn

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

The child died in a raid from the witches.

I killed every single witch responsible for it, but it still did not feel like enough.

My bed is cold, my heart is empty, and I can still hear the children’s cries.

I was not there when my mother died, but I can hear her cries as well.

Lisa said it wasn’t my fault, and when I asked her what wasn’t, she told me none of it. It was the kindest I had seen her in awhile, she had even held my hand, despite the fact BamBam had nearly died from my recklessness. BamBam even told me that he wished he didn’t have to leave me, that he wished he could stay by my side.

I hope they know that I love them no less even if they are not of Qing’s womb. They are the Terrors to most, but to me they are my Little Star’s. After my mother had passed away, I had fallen into a darkness so depthless that the only light I ever had was you two, but when they were born, everything changed.

These were my siblings and I would protect them from anything, even a comet falling into the castle.

I did not protect them today. 

I will have to do better.

Love,

Saturn

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

On the road today, I danced in the rain and I thought of you. My soldiers are tired, beaten down, traumatized from watching so many die. Perhaps I should be just as defeated, but I am not. Knowing what I have waiting for me at home, I will continue to fight and I will do so with a smile on my face.

There is nothing more worthy of this than you and my family. The other lands think me a fool. Something weak. But the truth is, I’ve never been stronger. You make me stronger.

Love, 

Saturn

*

Dear Titan and Tethys,

I was on my return home when I was called back to the Iamouth. It was not just me called back to the battlefields. It was myself and all of my siblings, along with their legions.

I fear that Death may meet me there. 

If this remains to be the truth, if this is what the threads of Fate have decided, then I only wish for you to know that you have made my life immensely better. If not for you, I would have fallen prey to the darkness that hides in my soul. It would have consumed me and my Kingdom would have lost more than just its Queen.

Even when you shouldn’t have, you stood by me.

I still remember Titan’s screaming when I ran myself through with that witch’s sword, Tethys’ cursing when I returned to Starfire. I’m still not certain I ever deserved your love, but I will continue to be honored that you chose me.

Until our very solar system burns out, my heart is yours.

Love,

Joohyun of Titan and Tethys 

*

Dear Little Moons,

I’m coming home.

Love,

Your Night Sky

**Author's Note:**

> hello folks! this was something i had thought about writing for awhile and i wrote this on the fly tbh but i hope that you like it!! i wanted to give you a bit of introspective on irene's character and her relationship with wendy and seulgi, and i hope that this provided that. it's not much and i'd be willing to write more about them, honestly. whether as a oneshot or in ashes to gold. 
> 
> titan and tethys are two of the moons that orbit saturn, and for some reason it just felt fitting ^^ 
> 
> if you wanna talk or hang out here's my [twitter](https://twitter.com/slutforjseo) and [curious cat](https://t.co/0W7CyOjNRV?amp=1)


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